Teofimo Lopez opens the 2026 boxing calendar with a true super fight. He defends his light-welterweight title against WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson. The duo headline a DAZN-streamed Ring VI card in New York. Since becoming the WBO and Ring light-welterweight champion two years ago, Lopez had been on a relentless campaign. He chased and called out one big name after another.

Title defenses against Jamaine Ortiz and Steve Claggett only made matters worse. Many slammed Lopez for fighting weaker opponents. The win over Arnold Barboza Jr. on the May 2 Fatal Fury salvaged his sinking reputation. Still, not wanting to lose momentum, he sought an opponent who could elevate his legacy to unmatched heights. Interestingly, given Teofimo Lopez finally secured the star matchup he long dreamed of, a few believe the Brooklyn-born champion of Honduran descent is biting off more than he can chew. Shakur Stevenson is no ordinary fighter. His credentials already point toward a Hall of Fame career. Add to that a corner featuring pound-for-pound great Terence Crawford and former champion Keyshawn Davis.

Teofimo Lopez shrugs off Shakur Stevenson’s Crawford edge

Lopez, however, seems unfazed. The lineup could intimidate most fighters. But to him it barely matters whether Stevenson has Terence Crawford, or anyone else, backing him. On the latest episode of Inside The Ring, Mike Coppinger referenced his on-and-off feud with Crawford. He asked whether Stevenson’s association with the three-division undisputed champion added any ‘extra oomph’ to the matchup.

“No. No, not at all,” Lopez replied. He insisted it made no difference who supported Stevenson. In his view, the trio – Stevenson, Crawford, and Keyshawn Davis – may have some understanding to dominate boxing, but the sport itself recognizes no friendships.

“This is a fight business,” Lopez said firmly, reminding that boxing has moved far beyond the era when the Klitschko brothers ruled together. At the end of the day, whatever game plan Stevenson and Crawford devise won’t matter once the bell rings. On January 31, Stevenson will have only his wits and his talent to rely on.

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Maybe Lopez wants to kill two birds with one stone.

Lopez-Stevenson: An era-defining battle, no help needed

He faces Stevenson mano-a-mano. Still, he must contend with a formidable team that not only produces results in the ring but also excels in hype-building, trash talk, jabs, verbal volleys, and all. By that logic, a win over Stevenson could double as a moral victory over Crawford, some might believe.

On second thought, it is the entire equation that makes Teofimo Lopez vs. Shakur Stevenson one of the defining clashes of this era.

Both are technically gifted, crafty fighters who can switch gears when needed and engage in a phone booth slugfest. Crawford, fresh off a brutal dismantling of Canelo Alvarez, who incidentally trained alongside Lopez months ago, adds valuable insight. Stevenson stands to benefit from Crawford’s experience dealing with inside boxer-punchers.

Lopez does not have the advantage of an Eddy Reynoso in his corner. Still, he can compensate for a comparatively weaker team with experience and sheer will. On his best nights, Lopez is capable of miracles, like his 2020 win over “The Matrix,” Vasyl Lomachenko. A similarly outstanding performance saw him outclass Josh Taylor.

So with or without Crawford or Davis on the opposite side, Lopez can still produce wonders.

What’s your take? Does having Crawford in Stevenson’s corner change anything, as many believe?